Want Ideological Conformity Through Language Control? Sussex Students' Union is the Place For You

The University of Sussex Student Union has made a new ‘Gender Inclusive Language Policy’ which mandates that: “Gender neutral language must be used in all areas of the Students’ Union.”

This attempt at language control is being introduced in order to include “non-binary individuals and transgender people who may not be read as the gender they identify with, and to avoid making assumptions about anyone’s gender identity”.

To give you an overview, the policy:

• wants “equality across all genders…”• says “pronouns must be stated at the beginning of every meeting” and that “Gender neutral language must be used where an individual’s pronoun are not known”• says “Gender neutral language must be used by all student media”• says that all staff should use this language as part of their induction.• states that if a person has not specifically stated their preferred pronouns “The gender-neutral pronoun ‘they’ should be used as opposed to ‘he’ or ‘she’, and the pronoun ‘them’ as opposed to ‘him’ or ‘her’” and “should not be described as ‘men’ or ‘women’, and inclusive terms such as ‘person’ should be used instead.”• states that if someone is persistently ‘misgendered’ after having complained to the relevant officer, the officer “should deal with this in appropriate and sensitive ways, recognising the negative impact on individuals’ mental health that misgendering can have.” These officers too will have had “Gender Inclusivity training as part of their induction.”

This post-modern Newspeak can be deeply confusing to anyone not intimately familiar with the ins and outs of (trans)gender ideology (To learn more about it click here and for the dangers of the ideology, click here). But, here we are concerned about the deeply intolerant and totalitarian streak within this ideology.

It is trying to create conformity through the abuse of language by mandating that those at the union use their ideologically approved discourse in all union matters.

But this madness is not only restricted to the union. No, this policy, extends to the student media too.

The union are being extremely authoritarian and the student press are apparently happy to accept this. This is especially ominous given that these students are forming the next generation of writers and politicians.

If you are a student at, or work in, the USSU, you should ignore this policy. For the rest of us, please sign this petition asking the Vice Chancellor of the University to intervene on this matter and do his best to end this policy.

Sign this petition now!

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Regarding the USSU's Gender Inclusive Language Policy

Dear Vice Chancellor of the University of Sussex, Professor Tickell,

I write to you with great concern about the new ‘Gender Inclusive Language Policy’ produced by the University of Sussex Student Union (USSU).

I recognise that in your role as Vice Chancellor you do not directly oversee the actions of the Student Union, but, on this important matter, I ask for your intervention.

The policy states: “Gender neutral language must be used in all areas of the Students’ Union.” And, chillingly, goes on to say that all student media must comply with this mandate.

Whilst I recognise that the USSU have produced this policy with the intention of being more inclusive for ‘transgender’ and ‘non-binary’ people, this policy has the direct effect of mandating certain speech, by forcing individuals to use so-called ‘gender neutral’ language.

This ideological language policing will, the USSU hopes, promote inclusion, but it will also force a particular ideology on many within the student body and undermine free speech at the university. The USSU has no authority to dictate what people must say.

Will students, especially the student media, be able to ignore the policy? Or will they be forced to adopt an ideological standpoint with which many students disagree? The point is clear, this policy says speech is not free – it says “You can speak freely, so long as you say what we want you to say.”

This is not freedom at all.

I cannot help but think that these students are failing to grasp one of the basic principles of university, namely, the free exchange of ideas which obviously presupposes the freedom of speech.

In light of all this, I urge you to intervene on this important matter and regrettably inform you that as long as this policy stands, I cannot, in good faith, encourage any potential student to enrol in your university. Rather, because of the way the union is attempting to mandate language, I will discourage potential students from attending the university and I will encourage any alumni of the university to cease funding it.

You must extend every effort to remove this policy.

Sincerely,[Your Name]

Want Ideological Conformity Through Language Control? Sussex Students' Union is the Place For You